Inter Ignis et Aqua
by rebex1213
Summary: A year after the war, Zuko goes to visit the South Pole, expecting to spend a couple of relaxing weeks with his friends. Instead, he finds a distraught Katara, and must help her find Aang, though he wishes he could just keep her for himself. Even then, things cannot last. After all, the period after a war is always fraught with fear and betrayal.
1. Prologue

**A/N: This is my first Fanfic... Ever... I've read them for ages, but I've never actually written one. I've thought of stories in my head, but never put them down on paper. I hope you all like it! (And if you write a review, feel free to be brutal! I can take it. :P )**

**Also, the chapters will probably be longer later on. **

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"Fire Lord Zuko."

His name echoed through the room, and Zuko closed his eyes. He still wasn't used to that. His father was the Fire Lord, or his grandfather. But him? No, he had always been the prince. At least, until a year ago, he had been.

Turning to look at the new arrival, Zuko grinned. "Sokka! How are you? It's been so long!" He held out a hand in welcome.

"Hungry. You got any fire flakes?" Sokka replied, walking toward Zuko's throne.

Zuko laughed. "You're always hungry, Sokka, but I'm sure I can have something pulled together for you." Zuko paused for a moment before continuing.  
"Erm... How's your sister?"

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "Katara? She's fine." Now it was Sokka's turn to grin. "You do realize how obvious you make it that you like her, right? Why don't you just say something?" Zuko glanced up at him and shook his head.

"She's dating Aang. How am I supposed to compete with the Avatar?" he asked, taking several steps toward his friend.

"Oh no! The girl I love is dating a THIRTEEN year old! What ever shall I do?" Sokka teased, dramatically fanning himself and pretending to swoon.

"Oh shut up. I knew you wouldn't understand..." Zuko muttered, turning and walking back towards his podium.

"What I don't understand is why you're not doing anything about the fact that Katara is dating a little kid. I mean, Aang is great and all, but do you really think that's gonna last? He's just a baby!"

"Isn't that 'baby' supposed to be your friend?" Zuko snapped, spinning on his heel.

"Yeah. Does that mean I want him dating my sister? Hell no!"

The two boys stared at each other for a moment, and Sokka slowly made his way over to Zuko.

"Look, don't get me wrong, I want them to be happy, but Aang is young and, well, let's be honest. Katara has never had the best taste in guys. Besides, I think she's kinda blinded by Aang's power."

"Katara's not like that!"

"Are you sure?"

Zuko sighed and looked at Sokka hopelessly. "But she's happy. She's happy, and that's what matters..."

"No, Zuko. She's not."

Sokka watched Zuko quizzically for a moment and crossed his arms. "I suppose there's a more important question I have to ask you, though," he said after they'd been standing in awkward silence for several minutes.

Zuko bit his lip. "And that would be?"

"That would be why the hell you're still dating that Mai chick. Obviously you like Katara, and, no offense, but Mai is just a tiiiiny bit creepy. I mean, she's all emotionless, like a... Like a... Like something without a soul! I just don't know what you see in her."

"That's the point, Sokka... Mai is simple... With her, I don't need to think. With Katara... I do."

With a sigh, Sokka put his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Zuko, I'm leaving in a week, and you're coming with me."

Zuko didn't know why he'd let Sokka talk him into this. Yeah, he wanted to see Katara again, but what if Aang was there? Seeing them together would be unbearable. Still, here he was, standing on his roof and preparing to board an airship.

This was stupid. He didn't have time for this- He was the Fire Lord! The city was still so chaotic! He needed to be there in case something went wrong!  
That settled it. Zuko was staying. He'd send Sokka a letter to apologize, but he simply couldn't go. He was turning around to go back inside when Mai appeared beside him.

"Hello Zuko," she said, her voice as monotonous as ever, "I suppose you'll be leaving now?" She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

"I, uh... Will you miss me...?"

"I don't care. You'll be back soon enough."

Now Zuko glanced at her. Pasting a smile on his face, he turned to face her directly and put a hand on her cheek, gently turning her to face him. He looked into her eyes for a moment before leaning down and kissing her gently. "Well I'll miss you," he said, before climbing up onto the ship.

That settled it. Zuko was going. He couldn't bare to be around her any longer.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: I've decided that although my chapters won't be very long, I'll (try) to post every day, or at least fairly often.**

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As soon as she heard that Sokka was home, Katara raced down to the docks. He had been travelling for a while, though he had given Zuko the impression that he was specifically visiting the Fire Nation. In fact, Sokka had gone all the way to the North Pole first. It had been several months, and Katara had been waiting for him impatiently the whole time. She had some horrible news.

Sokka was supposed to be back several weeks earlier, but no one knew where he went.

This was just like him.

Katara skidded to a halt as she reached the shore and glanced around. Seeing Zuko, she started to laugh.

_So that's where he went,_ Katara thought, slowly making her way over to the two of them. She smiled up at Zuko and hugged him. Had it really been a year since they'd seen each other? It certainly didn't feel like that long. She was glad to see him though, especially now.

Feeling him stiffen in her arms, Katara looked at Zuko in confusion. They were friends, weren't they? Why did he seem to be so uncomfortable with her?

"Sokka, come here!" she called, seeing that Sokka had already wandered off toward the village. "You're not even going to say hello? It's been five months!"

Sokka rolled his eyes, but walked back over to them. "I'm hungry, Katara. Can we make this quick? I could really go for some fresh seal right about now..."

"Sokka, this is important..." Katara replied, glancing back and forth between Sokka and Zuko before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "It's about Aang..."

Zuko seemed to shrink at the mention of the Avatar's name, and Katara cocked her head at him. Why was he acting so strange? After a moment, she shrugged and spoke again. "I think you guys should come with me... I have a lot to tell you, and I'm not quite sure where to start..."

Sokka had refused to talk about anything serious until after he got some meat into his stomach. It had been a long trip, and he was hungry. Surely whatever Katara had to say could wait. After all, the war was over. They'd defeated Fire Lord Ozai and everything was perfect. Nothing could possibly go wrong.

"Aang is missing."

Perfect. This was exactly what Sokka needed to begin the next phase of his plan. Zuko and Katara belonged together, and the only way that was going to happen was if Sokka took control. After all, Sokka knew everything when it came to girls.

"What's your point?" he asked, putting another strip of seal jerky in his mouth.

"My point? My point is that the Avatar has vanished!" Katara said, glaring at Sokka. Sokka just grinned.

"Katara, he's the Avatar. He's mastered all four elements! What's the worst that could happen?" he replied with a stretch.

"Ugh, you're such an idiot!" Katara groaned, turning to Zuko. "You'll help me out, right Zuko...?"

Zuko seemed conflicted, and looked at Sokka as if to ask for advice. Sokka nodded subtly at him before standing up and stretching again.

Glancing at Sokka one more time, Zuko nodded. "Yeah, of course I'll help. We have to find Aang."

"Well, since you two don't seem to need me, I'll be going now," Sokka said, strolling out of the room before either had the chance to say anything.

"I just can't stand him sometimes!" he heard as he closed the door.

Oh, but she'd thank him later.

"Ok, so obviously our first stop has to be the air temple. I've already taken a look around, but I may have missed something, and besides, that was the last place I saw him. After that, we'll either follow whatever lead we find or we'll circle around to all the nearby towns. He has to be somewhere, although he's had plenty of time to get far, far away..." Katara said with a sigh, and Zuko nodded.

Sokka was an idiot. He acted like Zuko had a chance with Katara, yet it was abundantly clear that she loved Aang, and sitting here, helping her decide how to save the one person standing between them- it was heartbreaking.

But how could he not? Katara deserved to be happy, and Aang made her happy. Sure, Sokka thought said she wasn't really, but what did Sokka know about girls? Nothing. That was what Sokka knew. And because of it, Zuko had to listen to Katara talk about Aang all day.

He should tell her how he felt. He should scream, "Katara, I love you!" He should tell her how he'd loved he wasn't sure when it happened, but when he'd jumped in front of lightning for her, he'd realized just how much he loved her. He should tell her that every time he saw her it made his heart thunder. He should tell her that she was all he could think about. He should tell her he would break up with Mai.

"Katara, don't worry. I'll find Aang for you. I won't rest until he's home safe and sound."

He should say those things, but he wouldn't. He wouldn't, because he couldn't bear to lose Katara forever.

"Oh, I knew you'd be there for me, Zuko! You're such a good friend!" she replied, leaning over and embracing him.

"Yeah..." he muttered, "A friend..."

"Sokka!" he called, barging into Sokka's tent in a rage, "How could you lie to me like that? Not happy? Do you have any idea how much lovey dovey 'Aang is the best boyfriend ever' crap I've just had to listen to? She loves him, Sokka. She loves him."

Sokka blinked up at him from his mat. "Huh...? I'm taking a nap, man..."

Zuko sat down next to Sokka. "Sokka, your sister loves Aang. You say she's unhappy, but the only thing she's unhappy about is the fact that her beloved Avatar has gone and vanished. I have no chance, and now I'm even stuck helping her find the guy!"

Sokka rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat up. "Look, Zuko, I wasn't lying to you. Just trust me on this one, ok? You guys might think I'm an idiot, but I know what I'm doing. Just go on the trip with her and it'll be worth your time. Stuff'll work out. It always does for us, eh?"

Zuko bit his lip. Zuko hated waiting. He'd searched for Aang enough over the years. He'd worked for approval long enough. Why couldn't it be simple? Why couldn't Katara just love him back?

Sokka yawned and lay back down. "If you're done here, I'd like to sleep a little longer. Have fun with Katara," he said, before burying his face in his pillow.

With a sigh, Zuko stood up and left.

He had never sighed this much before.

"I can't thank you enough for helping me, Zuko," Katara said, resting her hands on the railing of the ship, "You really are the best friend a girl could hope for. I can't believe it was just a year ago that I hated your guts. Times sure have changed, huh?" She laughed. She had been so untrusting, even after he'd proven himself to her. Things had changed, but more importantly, he had clearly changed.

She smiled at him, but saw that he was simply staring down into the water. He glanced up at her and smiled sadly. Something was clearly bothering him. She'd have to ask him about it later.

"Yeah..." he said, "I was pretty awful, wasn't I?"

Then he stepped back and went below deck.

Whatever was bothering him, it was clearly eating away at him. He'd been gloomy the whole time they'd been in the South Pole, and it was only getting worse. He was probably worrying about ruling the Fire Nation. Maybe he'd gotten in a fight with Mai. Whatever it was, Katara had to help him. It was the least she could do when he was coming to help her save Aang.

Not that she could ever tell any of them what had happened when she went to visit the Southern Air Temple with Aang. They'd all blame her for his disappearance, and rightfully so.

God, she was an idiot. Who else would break up with the Avatar?

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**A/N: Yes. Drama. Intrigue. And most importantly, no Kataang! (To any Kataang shippers, a: why are you reading this? . and b: I'm sorry, I just don't like Kataang. There's no romantic tension there. Plus, it seems kinda like Katara is forcing herself to like Aang.) **

**So yeah, they went to the Southern Air Temple and Katara broke up with Aang and now he's vanished. Yes. **


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for all the lovely reviews people! I'm glad to see people are liking this so far. It really means the world to me.**

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Zuko didn't know how Katara planned on getting up to the air temple. He was pretty sure Aang would have Appa with him, and they would need to fly to get up to the temple. But Katara must have had some way to get there, as she had supposedly already gone back once. At least once. Zuko wouldn't be surprised if she'd gone back more than that.

He crossed over to the tiny desk in his chamber. He had a couple of letters he needed to write. He was probably going to be away from home longer than he originally planned, and he wanted to make sure that someone was ruling the Fire Nation in his stead.

The most important letter was to his Uncle, for though he had refused to take control when Ozai was defeated, he had served as Zuko's most valued advisor in the past year.

_To my Dearest Uncle,_

_ It appears I will be away for much longer than I intended to be. The Avatar has vanished, and I feel that it is my duty both as the Fire Lord and as his friend to find him. Katara and I will be searching for him. We are currently on our way to the Southern Air Temple. I will message you if and when we move on to search other areas. _

_I would like to request that you take charge of the nation while I am away. I believe that there is no one better suited to the task. If anything comes up that requires my input, simply message me and I shall get back to you as soon as possible._

_If you would also check in on my father and sister daily it would also be much appreciated. I am sure you know where my Father is kept, and you can find Azula locked in her chambers, being cared for by a number of nurses daily. Though she has done some truly awful things, she is my sister, and I worry about her. _

_I'm sure you understand. _

_I would like to thank you in advance for all your help, though I know I can never thank you enough._

_Your Nephew,_

_Fire Lord Zuko_

Satisfied with his letter, Zuko moved on to the less important of the two— the one that was purely his duty, and not something he enjoyed doing.

He had to write to Mai.

_My Darling Mai,_

_I am so sorry to say that I will be away from home longer than intended. Unfortunately, the Avatar has gone missing, and I must help to find him. I hope you will understand and do not miss me too much, though you will surely be in my mind each day. _

_I would like nothing more than to go home to you, but sadly this can not be. I am needed here._

_I hope to see you soon._

_Yours,_

_Fire Lord Zuko_

He didn't know why he bothered. He didn't mean a word of it, and Mai wouldn't really care anyway. Still, Zuko wanted to be the best boyfriend he could, knowing he owed it to Mai after how awfully he had treated her during the war.

He had made so many mistakes when it came to Mai.

He knew he could never be happy with her, yet he wanted to be more than anything— wanted Mai to be enough for him. She wasn't though. He didn't love her, as he now understood. He appreciated her— appreciated how kind she had been to him when no one else was. When his Uncle was locked up, Mai had been all he had.

But now Mai wasn't enough.

He had thought she was. He had thought that she would slowly but surely be able to wean him off of his thoughts of Katara.

Then he had seen Katara again, and any chance of that blew away in the wind.

Katara had made a mistake. She had been feeling pressured and confused at the time, but there had been no reason for her to break up with Aang, and now he was gone. It was all her fault that he had vanished, and she knew it. And she could never tell anyone.

She had broken Aang's heart. He was her dearest friend, and she'd been cruel. It was true that she didn't feel the same for him as he did for her, but it wouldn't have been so hard to keep up the ruse, even just a little longer.

Aang loved her, and she had wanted to love him back. But she didn't. She couldn't.

Still, he had needed her and she had pushed him away.

She hadn't even been gentle about it. She had said it was sweet that he liked her, but she didn't feel the same way and she didn't want to pretend anymore.

Sighing, she leaned against the railing of the boat and stared out across the water. It wasn't fair. She had been caught between lying to him and breaking his heart, and she had chosen to break his heart.

"We'll find him, Katara," she heard beside her, and turned to see Zuko. She smiled sadly up at him. "Yeah, I know. I just feel like it's my fault. I found out that we were having issues with wolves back at the village and I decided to race home to help. Aang wanted to keep looking, and I let him. I let him stay there all alone, not thinking of his safety."

Putting his hands on her shoulders, Zuko looked straight into her eyes. "Katara, you couldn't have known. Aang is the Avatar. If anyone would be safe, it's him. Wherever he is, I'm sure he's fine. If anything, he's probably following the trail of some potential nomads and he forgot to write home. It wouldn't be the first time," he said, before pulling her into a hug.

Katara buried her face in his chest. "I'm just being stupid, I know. But I worry about him and I hate feeling so helpless. I want to be able to do something. I'd hate it if something happened to him because I wasn't there," she said, wrapping her own arms around his waist.

"I know what it's like to worry about someone you love…" Zuko replied, resting his chin atop her head.

"Mai?" she asked.

"Sometimes. Mostly other people…"

"Like who?"

"Just… people," he said, and Katara wondered what he was hiding. And why didn't he worry about Mai? He loved her, didn't he? Katara knew from what Zuko had told her that Mai was constantly going out and doing out and doing her own thing, and shouldn't Zuko be worried about her then? Besides, who else did he love?

Zuko groaned and rolled over in bed. He couldn't sleep. Katara had seemed so upset today, and it was becoming abundantly clear that she hadn't told him everything. But if she didn't want to, how could he possibly force her?

He couldn't. He had many things he didn't want her to know, and how could he expect her to be totally honest with him when he was hiding so much from her?

Zuko shook his head. He knew it wasn't the same. Knowing everything about a series of events and knowing everything about how someone felt about you wasn't the same.

If Katara told him what happened it might help him find Aang.

If he told Katara that he loved her, it would only serve to ruin their friendship. And he couldn't do that.

Besides, he had to marry Mai for the good of the Fire Nation. Many of the older, more conservative members of their society would not take kindly to the Fire Lord being in a relationship with some "Water Tribe Peasant," for although she was the second in command of the water tribe, although she was the Chief's sister, she would not be thought worthy of the Fire Lord.

If anything, Zuko thought he was not worthy of her.

How could Zuko ever be worthy of such a kind, gentle, and yet incredibly strong woman as Katara?

He wasn't worthy of her, and he never would be.

But oh, how he loved her.

"We'll be arriving at the temple in a few hours," Katara said at the breakfast table the next morning. It had been several days, and Suko would be glad to finally reach dry land again. Though he had spent a lot of time travelling by ship when he was hunting the Avatar, he had grown accustomed to the solid feel of the Earth in the past year.

So much had changed in a year, as it always seemed to. For all he knew, next year Aang would have been found and would have married Katara. Maybe Uncle Iroh would have died. Or Azula would have regained her sanity and would have tried to take over the Fire Nation again. Or, heaven forbid, maybe Ozai would have found a way to get his bending back.

Zuko realized that he was a very pessimistic person, and decided to force himself to think more positive thoughts.

Maybe by this time next year Mai and Aang would have found other people. And maybe Katara would realize she loved Zuko. Maybe Zuko and Katara would be engaged, or married. Maybe Uncle Iroh would have found a lady of his own. Maybe Sokka would have finally come to his senses and wouldn't be crazy any more.

Ok, where was Zuko coming up with these things? He had thought the idea of things working out with Katara was ridiculous, but a non-crazy Sokka? The thought was preposterous.

"Erm, Zuko…?" he heard, and he quickly shook these thoughts out of his head. "Oh, um, yeah?"

"You ok? Have you heard a word I just said?"

Sheepishly, Zuko shook his head. "Sorry… I guess I was daydreaming…"

Katara sighed. "I was just saying that I couldn't wait to show you the Sky Bison den we found."

"Sky Bison den…?" Zuko asked, somewhat incredulously.

"Yes. We found a Sky Bison den."

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**A/N: I just assume they'd live in dens of some sort. Like, caves, kinda? Or sort of like the big groups of nests you see raptors living in when you watch dinosaur movies. I hope that makes sense. .**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: I've noticed that every single one of my chapters has been longer than the previous chapter... O.o**

**Also, sorry I took so long to get this one out (so long being a few days. .) I've kinda been ridiculously busy with school and crap.**

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Zuko stared at the vast number of Sky Bison in awe. Everyone had been so sure that all of the Sky Bison had been wiped out along with the Air Nomads, and yet here they were, and if there were Sky Bison left, then surely there was a great chance that there were Air Nomads left as well.

Turning to Katara, Zuko grinned widely. "This is incredible! How did you find them?"

"We didn't— Appa did. We had been on our way to the temple when he just changed directions and came here. We didn't know what was going on until we saw the rest of them," she replied, grabbing his hand and leading him closer to the herd.

One Sky Bison came over to them and nuzzled against them. Zuko was a little nervous, and when the bison licked him, he tumbled over backwards. "Uh… Hey there… Nice Sky Bison…" he said, staring up at it. Katara was stroking the bison's head, and her eyes widened.

"Zuko, I don't think this is just any Sky Bison…" she said slowly, "This is Appa."

Katara didn't understand why Appa would be here without Aang, and she thought that Aang had to be around somewhere. He would never leave Appa behind, and even if he did, Appa would surely follow him. The two were practically inseparable, and it was with this logic in mind that Katara decided to hunt for Aang here. He might be hiding in one of the caves surrounding the clearing, or maybe he had wandered off a short way and would be back soon. Either way, Katara intended to search for him.

Zuko was less sure.

In the past when Appa and Aang had gotten separated, Appa had returned to the place they had last seen each other. If that was the case, Appa might have decided to come here to wait for Aang. And while there was no reason not to check, Zuko doubted that Aang would be there.

Then again, maybe that was just his subconscious begging for more time with Katara. More time where he wouldn't have to watch her be lovey dovey with Aang.

Not that it was fair for him to complain, nor was it right for him to harbor these thoughts. He had to marry Mai. It was his duty.

Katara had to tell him. It was probably vital information if they were going to find Aang. But how could she explain that she had been lying— that Aang hadn't "just vanished," but had probably ran away from his problems again, as he had a tendency to do. But then why was Appa here? Was Aang coming back?

Maybe she wouldn't have to tell Zuko after all.

She shook her head. Of course she would. If Aang was back, Katara wouldn't be able to keep it a secret any longer. There was no way she could hide it when he came back, and then everyone would be even more upset that she had both caused this and then kept it a secret.

With a sigh, she looked up at Zuko. They were on Appa's back, riding up to the air temple.

"You alright?" Zuko asked, looking at her anxiously, "You've seemed so down lately, but we're going to find him. I promise."

Katara smiled ruefully. "Yeah," she said, "Just been thinking a lot."

"Erm… Do you want to talk about it?"

She looked at him for a moment, a tiny bit of hope flickering in her eyes, but then she thought for a moment. Shaking her head, she replied, "I can't. I just did something stupid, but it's no big deal."

Zuko nodded at her. "Well, if you ever do want to tell me, I promise to listen."

Zuko had no idea what Katara was so miserable about. Had something happened with Aang? It seemed as though she became more and more upset the closer it seemed they were to finding him. Maybe they had gotten in a fight. They were always fighting, because Aang was so stubborn and playful, while Katara had ridiculously high expectations of him. She seemed to forget how young he was all the time.

He was worried about her. Aang was always doing stupid things, and Zuko knew how upset it always made Katara. When Chief Hakoda had died suddenly just a month after the war had ended, Aang had thought the best way to cheer Katara up was to throw a party for her.

When she had become very ill herself, Aang had taken her on a long trip to a secluded hot spring in the middle of the mountains, which only resulted in her being more exhausted and weak.

Every time Aang heard more rumors of Air Nomad sightings, he dragged her away from her tribe on some useless journey.

Sometimes they forgot that Aang was just a kid, but that's exactly what he was, and Zuko could see it slowly wearing Katara down. Surely she was getting sick of it.

"Aaaang?" they called as they wandered through the temple. "Aang, where are you?"

Surely he was here. He wouldn't just leave Appa behind!

Hearing a shuffling sound ahead, Katara ran forward. "Aang?" she yelled, "Is that you?" She turned a corner, and there she saw Momo, shuffling through a pile of papers. He looked up at chattered happily at her when she appeared, jumping towards her face.

She yelped a little when he landed on her, and Zuko immediately rushed to see what was wrong.

"Momo…?" he asked in surprise, before holding out an arm for Momo to climb up onto his shoulder.

As soon as she was free from Momo's grasp, Katara turned to Zuko and grinned. "He has to be here! He wouldn't leave Appa or Momo, and he certainly wouldn't leave them both!"

"What if he didn't leave them, Katara? We have no proof that he just left of his own accord," Zuko replied after a moment.

Katara's head jerked up as he said this. "Yes we do! It's obvious that he just ran away! He always does when things get complicated!"

Raising an eyebrow, Zuko asked her what had gotten complicated, but she simply shook her head.

"It's… It's nothing. We just had a bit of an argument. I'm overreacting. You're probably right…"

"Katara, what aren't you telling me? It could be vital. What happened, Katara?" Zuko asked, taking a step towards her. Again, she shook her head. "Just forget it, ok Zuko? It's not important!"

"Katara…"

"What part of forget it do you not understand?" she yelled, before sprinting down the hall.

"And you say Aang runs away when things get complicated?" Zuko yelled after her. She turned to glare at him for a moment, before disappearing around a corner yet again.

Katara sniffled and wiped her nose on her sleeve. No one ever understood. Now she had made a big mistake, but she couldn't tell anyone because no one would listen. They'd just hate her and judge her. She had needed to end things with Aang, but surely no one would see it her way. They would all just think of her as the idiot who had broken up with the Avatar.

And the worst part was that all of her friends were close to Aang as well, and they'd take his side too.

But Aang always ruined everything, and Katara had needed a break.

It wasn't that she had anything against Aang, but he expected too much from her and she had come to realize that she simply couldn't reciprocate his feelings.

She loved him, she really did. But she didn't Love him. He was like a brother to her, and she was done with trying to see him as something more. She only wished that he could see that, wished that he understood.

The real problem was with how she'd told him, of course. They had been at the Southern Air Temple, and he had started describing all of their kids zipping around on their air scooters. And that wasn't even when she had snapped.

"Our _kids?_" she had asked, somewhat incredulously. Surely he wasn't really thinking about kids. They were still so young, and anyway, Katara wasn't sure she wanted to stay with him that long.

"Sure," he had replied with a confused blink, "We're gonna have loads of them. I mean, we have to repopulate all the Air Temples, and that's gonna take a lot of babies." Katara's eyes had widened.

"You expect me to repopulate all of the Air Temples?"

"Well, I expect us to."

"Aang, I'm not even ready to start thinking about having one baby!"

"But we gotta start soon if we want to have time to—"

And that was when Katara blew her top.

"That's it! I've had enough! Aang, I love you, I really do, but I am just so sick of you! I'm 17! Yeah, some people have kids this young, but hell, I'm not ready for that! And you? You're only 13! You shouldn't be thinking about kids yet!"

Aang was now getting pretty upset at her as well, and he yelled back. "But we have to!" he'd shrieked, "Katara, it's your duty to have a bunch of babies! We need to bring the Air Benders back!"

"No, Aang, _you_ need to bring the Air Benders back! That's not my duty at all, and frankly, I have no commitment to the Air Benders or you. Frankly, I am so sick of you! My _duty?_ I can't believe you!"

"You're being stupid! We have to do this Katara!"

"No Aang. No. We don't. I don't. You do what you want. I'm not going to deal with you anymore," she'd finally said before turning around and walking away. She'd gone home at this point, and she hadn't seen Aang again since.

And she was scared. Something must have happened to him, and it was all her fault.

After a little while, Zuko silently came out and sat beside Katara. They sat next to each other for several minutes, the only sound being Katara's sniffling. Each second seemed like a minute, and Zuko wondered if he'd a mistake to come out. Then Katara had rested her head against his shoulder.

With a sad smile, he rested his head on hers and put an arm around her.

"You ok?" he said softly, "I'm sorry about pushing you to tell me something you didn't want to."

Katara nodded. "Yeah… I'm ok… I'm sorry for being so nasty and emotional… I just… I'm scared about him, Zuko…" she said, snuggling closer against him. Zuko looked down at her and sighed. He could never have her, yet here she was in his arms, so close and yet so far.

"I know how you feel. I'm in love with this girl, and I know she's hurting but it feels like there's nothing I can do. And there isn't really, because it's my duty as the Fire Lord to marry Mai apparently, and it sucks, because more than anything I'd like to scoop this girl up in my arms and tell her to stop being so reckless with her heart," Zuko said.

He wanted to tell Katara everything, wanted to spill all his feelings out on the floor and show her how he really felt. Seeing her so miserable made him want to save her, protect her from everything. But knowing that she was miserable because she was scared for Aang— that held him back.

This was only proof that he never had a chance.

"It's just that…" she started after a moment, and then took a deep breath, "It's just that he's such an idiot sometimes, and no matter what I do he's just going to make the same mistakes over and over… And I just get sick of making everything right again…" She glanced up at Zuko then, as if to gauge his reaction.

"You'll figure it out," he said, giving her a quick squeeze, "If you love each other enough, you'll be able to overcome your differences."

"That's what I was afraid of…" she whispered, so softly that Zuko could barely hear her.


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Ok, so maybe I'll try to post every two days instead of saying I'll post almost every day and then not doing so. Also, I've broken my pattern- this isn't longer than the last one. .**

* * *

"I can't believe he wasn't there…" Katara said sadly when they left a few days later. She had no idea where to go from here, but she refused to let their search end so soon. They had decided to go ask around at the nearest town, hoping that someone there would have some clue as to where Aang was. Katara, however, felt hopeless.

"It just… It doesn't make sense. Where could he have gone? He would never leave Appa or Momo behind, but they were both there… And I… I'm just so scared that something has happened to him…" she continued, burying her face in her hands. With a glance at Appa, Zuko carefully set down the reins and climbed up into the saddle, wrapping his arms around her.

"Shhh… Shhh… It'll be ok, Katara. We'll find him," It seemed like he was repeating the same thing every time they talked, but if that was she needed, then that was what he would do. He wasn't ready for what she next though.

"Everyone is leaving me, and it's all my fault! I'm supposed to be this strong force, supposed to be proud and brave and impressive, yet here I am, driving everyone away!" she said, burying her face in his shoulder. Zuko tensed for a moment, but then rested his cheek against her head. "Who else?" he asked softly.

"My dad, for one thing…" she replied, "I couldn't heal him… He died, and it's all my fault! That's another thing— everyone expects me to be this miraculous healer, but I'm not! I'm just one girl, Zuko! I'm just one girl…" She hugged him tighter, and Zuko squeezed her back. "No one blames you for that, Katara," he whispered into her ear.

"Sokka does. Sokka can't bear to be around me anymore, and now he's going to leave me behind… He says he's going to go live with Suki and then I'm going to have to be the chief… Isn't that ridiculous? Me? The chief? They'd never except me! I'm just a wimpy, emotional girl. I could never be the chief," Katara added, finally pulling away from Zuko. He held on to her shoulders though, forcing her to look into his eyes. "Katara, Sokka wouldn't actually do that. He loves the water tribe too much and he loves you too much. He doesn't blame you. Nobody blames you for your father's death."

"It sure seems like they do."

"Then they're idiots. You did what you could. But you're right— you're just a girl. You're just a girl who was given a job she wasn't ready for. We're all just kids forced to act like wise old sages. Sokka has to rule the water tribe. He's dealing with rebuilding, making it stronger. He feels overwhelmed. It's the same for me, but at least I have Iroh by my side. You're the Southern Water Tribe's representative at all the peace meetings. It's understandable that you're stressed. But it's not right for you to think everything is your fault. That's unfair to you, and to all of the other idiots who've messed up. You're stealing their blame!" Zuko replied, causing Katara to chuckle.

"I just… God, and I'm getting upset about them calling me emotional?" she muttered, before bursting into laughter. Zuko smiled hesitantly back at her. "You ok, then?" he asked, and when she nodded, he climbed back down and took up Appa's reins once more.

Zuko and Katara walked together into the town, though neither of them had any idea where to start looking. However, this question was soon answered when a girl about their age ran up to them. "Lee!" she practically squealed, "What are you doing here? Why aren't you in Ba Sing Se?"

Zuko's eyes widened, but he managed to stutter, "J-Jin…? Um… Hi… I, uh… Um…" Shaking his head, he took a deep breath and was about to start again, when Jin's saw Katara. "Ohmygosh! You're… You're Lady Katara of the Southern Water Tribe! I can't believe it! It's such an honor!" she said, dropping to one knee and bowing her head. Katara laughed. "No need for that. Jin, is it? I'm sure I am no more special than you are," she said, offering Jin a hand.

Jin stared at her in awe as she got to her feet. "No more special than me…? But you travelled with the Avatar and you're in all the peace talks and…" She turned to Zuko again, eyes growing wider with each passing second. "Lee, how do you know Lady Katara?" she asked him, and he bit his lip before answering.

"Erm… My name isn't really Lee… I… My name is Zuko…"

"You're the Fire Lord?" Jin squeaked, looking as though she were about to fall to her knees again.

"I am…" Zuko replied nervously, glancing at Katara. Jin blinked rapidly and shook her head before she started to giggle. "I went on a date with the Fire Lord… Wait til I tell Mum!" she said, before her eyes widened once again. "Wait, so, why are you two here? I mean, if it's official secret businessy stuff I totally understand," she said, eyes flicking between the two of them.

"It's fine," Katara said with a kind smile, "Why don't we all go to your house and we'll tell you more there?"

Jin nodded and turned to lead them away, so she didn't see Katara lean over to whisper something in Zuko's ear.

"Hey, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Grumpy, she's pretty cute."

"I wish I could help you, but we haven't seen him," Jin's mother said as she placed a tea-laden tray down on the table. "Many people have passed through recently, but I am quite sure I would have known if one were the Avatar. Everyone would be talking about it, I assure you."

"Only if they knew it was him. Aang has gotten pretty good at hiding his identity. Have any young boys passed through? He's 13, if that helps at all…" Katara said.

"I don't think so. There was a group of fire benders from the colonies a little while back that had a group of young boys in tow, students I think. Is there any chance he went with them?"

"There's always a chance. Aang has been dying to continue his fire bending training, so it wouldn't be too much of a surprise," Katara added, and Zuko looked up at her. "Why didn't he just come to me, if that was the case?"

"You're the Fire Lord now. He didn't want to distract you. You have much more important duties," she replied, looking at him pointedly. He rolled his eyes at her, but said nothing. If those duties were so important, why was she dragging him along on this mission? Not that he minded, not really. It was nice to have time alone with her, even if it wouldn't last long.

"Shit! Shitshitshit!" Zuko groaned, throwing the parchment down on the table. A messenger hawk had arrived an hour earlier with a letter from Iroh, and, having read it, there was no doubt in Zuko's mind that he would have to head home immediately.

Hearing Zuko's exclamations through the wall, Katara cautiously opened the door. "What's wrong Zuko?" she asked, and he simply lifted the letter and threw it to her. She could read it herself. Zuko didn't trust himself to not burn the house down if he had to explain it.

Katara glanced up at him again before unrolling the letter.

_Dear Nephew,_

_ I have been ruling in your stead as you requested, but I fear things have taken a turn for the worse. A large group of your father's supporters, calling themselves the Red Raven (no doubt a name stolen from my own White Lotus) have risen up in the capital, and seem to have a base hidden somewhere in Royal Caldera City. I do not know the truth of these claims, but it is clear that they intend to release your father and return him to the throne. It is vital that this not happen._

_ That, however, is not the worst of it. _

_ I have reason to believe they have already released Azula. _

_ While I am still waiting to receive word from the Boiling Rock, both rumors and the number of lighting victims showing up in the hospitals has led me to fear the worst. It is imperative that you return home immediately. While I do not doubt the importance of your search, your primary duty is to our home. Without you here, I worry there may be another war quite soon._

_ I need you, nephew. We all need you._

_Yours,_

_Uncle Iroh_

Having finished reading the letter, Katara looked up at Zuko silently. She paused for a moment, but then walked over to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "I have faith in you Zuko. Do what you need to do. But keep in touch. I will let you know if I find any leads as to Aang's whereabouts. You let me know if there's anything I can do to help you."

He smiled wryly. "I don't suppose it's too much to ask you to come with me, hmm?"

Sighing, Katara shook her head. "I need to find Aang… I'm so sorry…"


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Lots of new info in this one, but no so much Zutara. It's pretty short, but since I'm not sure how long it will be before I can update again, I wanted to post this now. (Shouldn't be more than a week or two.)**

* * *

"Fetch me Lord Iroh!" Zuko ordered immediately, as soon as he stepped off the ship. "There is no need to send someone to fetch me, nephew. I am already here," Iroh said, stepping forward, "Come, I have just brewed a fresh pot of jasmine tea." He gestured for Zuko to follow him before turning and walking into the city. Zuko forced himself not to roll his eyes.

As they walked through the city, Iroh looked grim. "I am afraid I have some very bad news, Zuko," he said, once they were out of earshot of the rest of the group, "Azula's escape has been confirmed. She is no longer on the Boiling Rock." Zuko nodded. It was as he thought. They would not be able to keep her captive for long. Still, she was his sister.

"However, other rumors have surfaced nephew. I think you may find this very interesting," Iroh continued, grinning up at Zuko. Zuko raised an eyebrow.

"It is said that, rather than taking your throne, Azula wishes to join you. In fact, it has also been confirmed that the majority of those in the hospital who were struck by lightning were in fact members of the Red Raven," Iroh said with a laugh. Zuko did not find this to be so funny. "It's a trap, Uncle. Azula thinks I am still the boy I was before, desperate for my family's love and respect. I am not, and I will not fall for this petty game."

"Do not be so quick to judge, my nephew. You do not know Azula as well as you may think," Iroh replied calmly, leading Zuko into a small building before continuing, "What do you think? It is not large, but I think it will be quite a nice tea shop."

"Uncle! Forgive me, but surely now is not the time to be thinking about tea?" Zuko growled, staring at Iroh. He had nothing but the greatest respect for his uncle, but on occasion he would relapse into treating him as he had long before when they had hunted the Avatar together.

Iroh glared at him in silence for a moment.

"It is always time for thinking about tea, Zuko."

Katara sighed. She was cold and tired and she would much rather be anywhere else but where she was. She had been following news of the firebending group further north, though she had never seen them herself, and didn't even know if Aang was actually with them. She had no idea about anything, and it was just so frustrating.

As she travelled she had learned much more about the group. They were a bending school from the Fire Nation Colonies, and every year they went on this trip in order to practice what they had learned and so that the eldest students could complete a ritual to formally declare their studies over.

Katara had never heard of it, but there was a chance that Aang was with them, and if so, she needed to find them.

Then they could go to the Fire Nation to help Zuko.

Two days passed before Zuko saw Mai. He didn't know if she had been avoiding him or they simply hadn't crossed paths, but he was a little relieved. He knew that if he saw her he would probably also have to kiss her. If he learned one thing in his time with Katara, it was that he loved her even more than expected.

And he had no idea what that meant for his relationship with Mai.

So when he did see Mai two days later, Zuko wasn't sure what to say. "Uh… Hello Mai," he said as she entered his throne room, she nodded in reply and continued walking in silence until she was right in front of the wall of flames. Immediately, Zuko used his bending to get rid of them, but Mai shook her head.

"Zuko, I need to talk to you," she said, looking up at him. Swallowing, Zuko stood and walked towards her. "About what…?" he asked cautiously.

"You know I love you," she began, and Zuko nodded slowly. Did she somehow know about his feelings for Katara? Did she know he didn't love her?

"I can't be the Fire Lady. I have been thinking about this for a very long time, but that's the conclusion I have come to. I would be bored out of my mind. I hate diplomats."

No, she didn't know. Zuko nearly breathed a sigh of relief, but stopped himself. Was she breaking up with him, then? And who else would be the Fire Lady? Zuko needed a Fire Lady.

The Fire Lady had always been the balance to the Fire Lord in the nation, and while Mai had never been ideal for the role, she was better than nothing. True, Mai was not the kind and benevolent figure who the Fire Lady generally portrayed, but Zuko didn't know many girls his age in the nation. He needed Mai.

"Does that mean…?" he mumbled, staring at her, his eyes wide.

"Zuko, I don't want to break up with you, but I cannot be the Fire Lady. When you find someone else to take that role, I won't hesitate to do what's best for the nation, but… Just for now do you want to stay together?" she asked, seeming to be almost nervous. Zuko nodded slowly. "I suppose that works…" he said, "I'm just a little shocked."

Mai nodded. "I understand. And now that this matter has been settled, I'll let you return to your work," she said, before turning and walking out of the room.

Shit. What was the point of dating her now?

Mai sighed as she left the room. What was the point? Sure, she would be with Zuko for a little while, but she knew as well as anyone that he needed to find some perfect, sweet little angel to rule by his side, to be the good force beside him. And Mai could never be that girl.

She had tried to tell Azula that when she had visited a week earlier. She was going to cut things off with Zuko, so there was no point to Azula's plan. Azula had not relented. She needed Mai to stay close to Zuko for as long as possible, as if it wasn't bad enough that she had to end things with him. Finally, Mai had agreed, and now here she was, stuck in this not-really-a-relationship.

Now she had to go tell Azula of her success and hope that, whatever her plan was, Azula would not do anything too evil.

But then, this was Azula, so what was the chance of that?

The guard smiled as she entered Ozai's cell. She placed the tray down near the bars and slid it towards him. "It is an honor, Fire Lord," she said, "To serve such an incredibly powerful man.

He looked up from the place where he was curled up on the cold, stone floor. "It is good to know that some still remember where their loyalties ought to lie. That boy is unfit to be Fire Lord."

"I agree, Fire Lord Ozai. He is a traitor and a disgrace, but we of the Red Raven have set a plan in motion to return you to your throne," the guard replied, and was startled when this was met with a sharp "No!"

"What is the matter, Fire Lord Ozai…?" she whispered.

"Do no disobey my previous orders. I am no longer fit to rule. That retched Avatar has taken away all that I was, and I am unworthy of that role."

He grinned up at the guard.

"You must take the throne, Azula. It is yours now, as it should have been before."

The guard smiled quickly, but then nodded and rushed out of the room.

So he remembered.

Excellent.


	7. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:**

**I'm sorry I haven't updated this in such a ridiculously long time, but I really will be updating it much more often now. I'll also try to post drabbles more often.**

**Also, for those of you who need a refresher on what happened in earlier chapters, here is a ridiculously long recap:**

_Sokka visits Zuko, and, seeing how awfully he's failing with his love life, decides to bring him back to the South Pole. Though Zuko hesitates, Mai's emotionlessness ultimately persuades him to go. There, he sees Katara again for the first time in a year. Katara is confused because he's acting a little weirdly, but she has more important things on her mind— Aang has gone missing. Sokka sees this as the perfect chance to get the two of them together, and pretends to be uninterested, but Zuko agrees to help her find him._

_The two of them decide to start by going to the southern air temple, which is where Katara last saw Aang, and as Katara continues to talk about Aang, Zuko begins to feel more and more miserable. Surely he can never compete with the Avatar to win Katara's affections. Later that night, Zuko yells at Sokka, feeling he has been lied to. While Sokka said that Katara didn't really love Aang, Zuko believes that because she was constantly talking about him, surely she really does love him. However, Katara has a secret. Aang disappeared immediately after she broke up with him. _

_Later, as they are traveling to the southern air temple, Katara notices that Zuko is acting more and more upset, and figures he must have gotten into an argument with Mai. She mentions being friends, and he goes below deck on their ship. From there he goes to his bed chamber, where he writes two letters— one to his uncle and one to Mai. While writing to Uncle Iroh comes naturally, his letter to Mai is filled with nothing but lies, and he wishes that he could be happy with her. _

_Even later still, Zuko finds Katara looking out across the water. While she is upset at herself for hurting Aang, Zuko believes she is just worried about his safety, and says he'll be fine. Katara replies that she is just worried about him, and when Zuko says that he knows what it's like, she asks if he means Mai. Not wanting to reveal his love for her, he says that he sometimes worries about Mai, but often about other people. Still, he refuses to say who._

_The next morning they arrive at the air temple, where Katara shows Zuko something exciting that she and Aang discovered when they came. There is a sky bison den near the base of the mountain. But things take a turn for the worse when they find Appa, and Katara is more worried than ever. Yet Appa is a sign that they're getting closer, right? Zuko is confused— the closer they get to Aang, the more worried Katara seems. Zuko's confusion peaks when they find Momo and Katara lets it slip that she argued with Aang though she still refuses to explain what happens. Furious and upset, Katara runs off._

_After giving her some time to mope, Zuko goes to sit with Katara. She has been reminiscing about her argument with Aang, and when Zuko tells her that when you love someone you can overcome obstacles, Katara isn't comforted at all._

_They don't find Aang at the temple, and when they leave, Katara has a bit of a mental breakdown. She feels as though everyone expects her to be a miracle worker, yet she was unable to save her father and he died of a simple disease. _

_Later, they arrive at a small town, where they run into Jin. Jin is confused to see Zuko with Katara, believing he is actually "Lee" who she met in Ba Sing Se. He admits that he is actually Zuko. Jin, Zuko, and Katara then go to Jin's house, where Katara explains that Aang is missing, and though they haven't seen him, Jin's family mentions a group of fire benders that passed by earlier with kids Aang's age in tow. Zuko and Katara decide to investigate, but Zuko receives a letter from Iroh that night and has to return to the fire nation._

_Upon arriving in the fire nation, Zuko immediately talks to his uncle. It turns out that he was called to the fire kingdom because Azula has escaped. While Zuko sees Iroh immediately, he doesn't see Mai for two days. When he does, he is surprised to hear her refuse to be the fire lady. She says that she does love him, but she would hate to be the fire lady, and she will therefore break up with him as soon as he finds someone suitable._

_Elsewhere, a guard brings Ozai food, and says she plans to reinstate him as Fire Lord. He refuses, saying that she must follow his previous orders. Only she is fit to rule, because this guard is secretly Azula._

* * *

Katara walked into the small inn and sighed. She had been traveling for days, and she was exhausted. Though she was still following the trail of the fire bending group, she didn't seem to be any closer to catching them, and it was driving her insane. She just wanted to find Aang and reconcile things with him. It was her fault that things had ended so badly with him, and though it wasn't really what she wanted, if getting back together with him was the only way to fix things for them, then so be it. She would do what was necessary.

But Katara was starting to lose hope.

So when she walked into the inn and saw the large group in Fire Nation red, she was a little surprised. In the last town she had been to, they had told her the fire benders had left more than a week earlier. Surely this wasn't the same group?

Biting her lip, Katara decided to ask them, hoping that they were, in fact, the group she had been following this whole time. She walked up to them and said, very slowly, "Um, excuse me… Are you the same group that just passed through Maximia Town…?" The woman who was closest to her looked up and, seeing her, grinned.

"Why hello there," she hissed. Katara took several steps back, her eyes wide.

"Azula…" she whispered, "But… How…?"

Cackling eerily, Azula stood and walked over to Katara. Her eyes were wide and deranged, and she was grinning fiercely. "I was wondering how long it would take you to catch up, little water bender. You got the best of me once. That won't happen again!"

Groaning, Zuko collapsed on his bed. This was so exhausting. They had completely lost track of Azula, and they're search parties were constantly returning with the same bad news: "Azula was no where to be found." Rolling over, Zuko buried his face in his pillow. To put it simply, this sucked. More than anything, he wanted to go back and help Katara find Aang. Although a search for Aang was certainly not his ideal way of spending time with her, it certainly beat searching for his insane sister.

He wondered how Katara was doing, anyway. Maybe she had already found Aang and they were being snuggly and loving. Perhaps they were kissing right now, or maybe Katara was giving him that brilliant smile she only showed when she was really happy. Perhaps they were doing that super cheesy thing couples do where they feed each other…

Zuko shook his head. No, he shouldn't think about these things. They just made him more miserable than he already was, and besides, he was dating Mai, even if they were now caught in some weird in between stage where they were only sort of dating.

When Zuko was younger, he had always assumed that if you loved someone, that meant that they would love you back, but now he knew how wrong that was. He certainly loved Katara— loved her more than anything else. But Katara loved Aang, and she clearly didn't love him. And then there was the fact that, in her own special way, Mai surely loved him, but could Zuko even say he liked her?

Zuko thought about it for a moment before shaking his head.

No, things with Mai were just easy, but really, she just creeped him out a little. She had always been nice to him, and she had done so much for him, risked so much for him that Zuko supposed he really ought to like her, but no matter what he did, he still saw her as one of Azula's cronies, and because of that he couldn't bring himself to like her.

Katara on the other hand… Zuko shook his head again. He had to stop thinking of her. He needed to find some sweet little Fire Nation girl and settle down with her. He needed to get Katara off his mind before it drove him insane.

Azula closed the door with a sigh. Finally things were falling into place. Soon the little water bender would help her with Zuko. Azula could fix things. She just wanted to make this all right. What was wrong with that? Why did everyone treat her like a villain? It wasn't her fault! Her brain was messed up and she knew it and she needed to fix it.

Growling, she threw herself at the wall and started pounding at it. Close? She wasn't close to fixing things at all. They would never trust her! She would never be able to join the rest of them. Zuzu hated her. Why did he hate her so much? She was his sister and it just wasn't fair. Keeping her in a prison like that was just cruel.

Why did everyone betray her? First it had been their mother. She had always chosen Zuzu and it hadn't been fair. How was Zuzu any better than Azula? He was just Zuzu! He couldn't do anything right, so why did mother always pick him?

And not just her. Everyone always picked Zuzu! Everyone thought that Zuzu was better than her. Even he thought so, but it wasn't true. He couldn't bend lightning, and he would never be as powerful a leader as she could be! He was so weak, but everyone always chose him!

Only dad had ever supported her, and now he was in prison too. His bending was gone, and he had been reduced to a sniveling heap, just as weak as the rest of them. And still he tried to boss her around, still he treated her like trash.

Azula's eyes opened wide. Even father had treated her like trash. Mother and father, Mai and Ty Lee, Zuko and his friends, everyone.

Now she had managed to collect these followers, but if they knew who she was they would just abandon her too, right?

Everyone would always abandon her. Was it so wrong for her to just try to win Zuzu's affection? Was that really so wrong?

A gentle tapping on the door brought Zuko out of his thoughts. He listened closely to see if it came again or if he was imagining it, but instead of another knock, Uncle Iroh barged into the room.

"Nephew!" Iroh called with a grin, "I've got some great news!" He strolled over to the bed and sat down next to Zuko, who immediately sat up and stared him, eyes wide. "Did they find Azula?" Zuko asked hurriedly, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and standing up and rushing towards the door.

"No," Iroh replied. Zuko stopped in his tracks and turned around. "No…?" he asked, confused.

With a sly smile, Iroh repeated himself. "No, they did not find Azula. But we do have a visitor." Grinning, Iroh stood and walked past Zuko. As he passed through the door way, he turned back and looked at Zuko. "Well, are you coming or not?"

Shaking himself out of his reverie, Zuko hurried to follow Iroh. Though Zuko was itching for more information, Iroh walked casually through the halls as though nothing were happening. After what seemed forever, they finally arrived in the front hall. There, Zuko was shocked at who he saw.

"Aang?" he asked incredulously. The bald boy turned and looked at him, eyes solemn.

"Firelord Zuko, can you please get Katara? I really need to talk to her…" Aang said, making Zuko even more confused. "Katara isn't here…" he said, walking over to Aang, "What do you need to talk to her about…?"

Aang shook his head tiredly. "I need to apologize…" he muttered. Zuko didn't think it was possible for him to be any more confused.

"Apologize for what…?" he asked cautiously.

"For acting so selfish and immature… For running away from my problems when she broke up with me…"

Oh, how wrong Zuko had been.


End file.
